Permutation-lock.



` l. H. MATTICE.

PERMUTATION LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.|5,1917.

Patented 001;. 23,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l J. H. MATTICEI4 PERMUTATION LOCK. APPLICATION FILED MAR- l5, 19|?.l

1,244,064, Patented 0d. 23, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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@jm L f Ji Wfl/5kb@ *.3513 (A15: u' I futon/19H9 JOHN HARRISON IVIATTICE, OF'CLYDE, KANSAS. l

rERMU'rATIoN-LIOCK.

Speciication of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 231, 1917.,

Applicatonpled March 15, 191'?. Serial No. 155,127. y

prove upon the construction shown in my U. S. Patent 1,217,802, one of the improvements consisting in providingY a novel manner of attaching the lock to a support while another is a simple arrangement of finger seats for vpermitting the lock to be operated in the dark.

With the foregoing general object in view, the invention resides'in certain novel features of construction and unique combif nations of parts to be hereinafter fully described and claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanying drawings which constitute a part of this application and in which:

Figure 1l is a verticalf section of the improved lock with the spindle or control member held `against rotation;

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the lock released;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation;

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse'section onl the plane of the line 1 4 of Fig. 1;

' Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views on the planes of the lines 5'-5 and 6 6 of Fig. 2. In the drawings above briefly described, the numeral 1 has reference to a disk-like body having on its outer side a pair of annular shoulders 2 and 3 which are concentric to its periphery, said side preferably having a circular vcavity 4 at its center as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2. A hub 5 is formed integrally with and projects outwardly from thel center of the body 1 and receives rotatably therein a spindle 6 constituting a control member for any device to be controlled by the lock. In the present illustration, the inner4 end of the spindle 6 is shown provided with a head 7 for taking the place ofthe switch key of an automobile whereas the outer end .of said spindle is equipped with aknob 8 whereby it may be turned when the lockingmeans is released. If the device isv to be employed upon `an bination thereof.

automobile switch or the like, the body 1 will be secured to the casing 9 thereof although said body may be anchored to any other appropriatesupport according to the manner in which the invention is applied. In all cases,'the outer edge 'portionxofthe body 1 will preferably be provided with slots 10'of greaterpsize at one end than the other, said slots receiving therein headed studs or the like 11 which projectv from the support. This arrangement permits quick attachment or detachment of the body 1 by giving it a turn in the proper direction. To preventv the` device frombeing detached by unauthorized persons', however, one or more fasteners in the form of 'screws 12 are vthreaded through the body y1 and into the .casing 9 or other support employed, these screws serving to prevent rotation of the body so that the slots 10A and studs 11 cannot be disengaged.' The screws 12I are normally inaccessible but due' to 4the arrangement of 'parts yet to be described, they may be applied or removed when the entire de"- vice is unlocked afterl first working the com- A cup-.shaped casing 13 is provided at the center of its closed .end with an .opening throughwhich thel spindle 6 passes, the annular wall 14 of said casing surrounding the inner shoulder 3 so that said rcasing Vis effectively held in proper relation to the other parts of the lock. -The'casing 13 serves as an operating member for thefentire device and is adapted to be'turned lto and fro in order' to lrelease the locking` means ofthe spindle 6. In daylight or when an Aartificial light is conveniently located, the operator can turn the` casing 18 to the several requisite positions and suitablek indicating means couldwellbe employed yto be visible under operator whereas the external annular shouly der 2 is formed with two series of'spac'ed notches or seats 17 to receivefthel tips of the thumb and linger `as the casing 13 is turned in one direction or the other. It will thus be obvious that with suitable instructions memorized, an authorized person can operate the lock in the dark by the sense of touch, the position of the thumb and finger tips in the several notches 17 serving to inform the operator when the casing 13 has been turned the proper amount in one direction or the other.

The upper side of the hub has formed therein a longitudinal slot 18 receiving loosely therein an elongated cylindrical tumbler 19 which under normal circumstances, is adapted to drop by gravity into a pocket 2O in the periphery of the spindle 6, said tumbler thus preventing rotation of said spindle unless it is permitted to move out of said pocket. For controlling the movement of the tumbler 19, three circular plates 21, 22 and 23 are by preference employed although any suitable number of such plates could be used. All of the plates in question are mounted rotatably on the hub 5 and are formed with notches 24 which when alined, permit the tumbler 19 to move upwardly out of the pocket 2O so that the spindle 6 is free to rotate. rlhe plate serves as the operating means for the other plates and is movable with the casing, suitable piclr up means 25 being provided for turning the other plates when said plate 23 is moved in the required manner.

The periphery of the plate 23 is preferably bent laterally at 26 to form means for frictional engagement with the inner side of the casing wall 14, this connection serving to cause rotation of the casing to similarly move the plate 23 until said plate as well as the others 21 and 22 are locked against turning by the partial reception of the tumbler 19 in their notches 2st. l/Vhen this takes place, however, the frictional connection will slip to permit turning of the casing 13 independently of plate 23. This is necessary in order that an opening 27 in the closed outer end of the casing 13 may be alined with openings 2S formed through the plates 22 and 23, said last named openings being so arranged as to aline with the screws 12 when the plates are set to release the tumbler 19 from its engagement with the spindle 6. lt will thus be obvious that a screw driver may be inserted through the openings 27 and 28 when alined and that the screws 12 may thus be removed if it is required to detach the lock or may be driven when the device is first applied.

vParticular emphasis is laid upon the fact that in order to detach the lock it is necessary to be familiar with the combination thereof since said lock must be released before the screws 12 are accessible. This prevents unauthorized persons from ripping the lock from its support in an attempt for instance, to close the switch of an automobile without operating its lock. Even if the heads of the studs 11 should be cut off, the screws 12 will still retain the device in place and thus any person thinking that said studs were the sole means of attaching the device to itsV support will fail in an attempt to remove it.

It is obvious that after alining the opening 27 with any of the openings 23 to gain access to the screws 12, the plate 23 and casing 13 must be returned to their predetermined relation in order that the lock may be subsequently operated. In order that this may be done, the outer face of the plate 23 will be provided with. a circular series of numbers as shown at 29 in Fig. 5. It is intended that when the casing 13v is turned until. a predetermined number is exposed through the opening 27, said casing and plate 23 will be in proper relation. Needless to say,the location of the pick up means 25 may be so varied that even though a plu` rality of different locks may display the same number at the opening 27, the combinations thereof will be different and no person capable of operating one can release the other. y

Fromthe foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will he observed that l have provided a simple and inexpensive permutation lock which may be openedl with equal ease in the light or the dark and one which although readily detachable by authorized persons, cannot be removed by others. Since these advantages are best derived by the construction shown and described, it constitutes the preferred embodiment of the lock but it is to be under stood that within the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous changes may he made without sacrificing the principal advantages. Forinstance the slots 10 could well be formed in the support 9 and the headed studs 11 carried by the body 1.

l claim:

1. ln a lock, the combination of a control member, a lock body, a fastener for securing said body to a support, a lock casing mounted movably on said body, and means operable by movement of said casing for locking and unlocking the control member, said means including a plate movable vbodily with the casing until the lock is released and means for then holding said plate against movement, said plate and casing having means operable by turning of said casing independently of said plate, for giving access to said fastener.

2. ln a lock, the combination of a control member, a lock body, a fastener for securing said body to a support, a lock casing mounted movably on said support, and means operable by movement of said casing for locking and unlocking the control member, said means including. a vplate movable Ibodily with the casing until the lock is released and means for then holding` said plate against movement, said casing and plate having openings for alinement when said casing is moved independently of said plate, for giving access to said fastener.

3. In a lock, thecombination of a control member, a lock body, a fastener for securing said body to a support, a lock casing mounted movably on said support, and means operable by movement of said casing for locking and unlocking the control member, said means including a plate having a slip connection with said casing for movement bodily therewith until the lock is released, and means for then locking said plate, said plate and casing having means operable by turning of the casing independently of thc plate, for giving access to said fastener.

4. In a lock, the combination of a control member, a lock body, a fastener for securing said body to a support, a lock casing mounted movably on said support, and means operable by movement of said casing for locking and unlocking the control member, said means including a plate having arslip connection with said casing for movement bodily therewith until the lock is released, and means for then locking said plate against movement, said plate and casing having openings for giving access to said fastener when alined by turning of said casing 'after said plate is locked.

5. In a lock, the combination of a body having a fixed horizontal hub provided in its upper side with a slot, a spindle passing through said hub and having a pocket, a tumbler normally received partially in said slot and partly in said pocket to prevent rotation of the spindle, plates rotatably suis rounding the hub for retaining said tumbler in said pocket, said plates having notches to permit upward movement of said tumbler and also having` pick up mea-ns whereby turning` of one plate will serve to set the others, a fastener passing through said body for securing it to a support, a cup-shaped casing having a clip connection with said one plate, said casing extending over said fastener, and said plates and casing having openings for alinement to give access to the fastener, said openings being out of alinement until the casing is further turned after setting the plates to release the tumbler.

G. In a lock, the combination of a body having a fixed horizontal hub provided in its upper side with a slot, a spindle passing through'said hub and having a pocket, a tumbler normally received partially in said slot and partly in said pocket to prevent rotation of the spindle, plates rotatably surrounding the hub for retaining said tumbler in said pocket, said plates having notches to permit upward movementV of said tumbler and also having pick up means whereby turning of one plate will serve to set the others, a fastener passing through said body for securing it to a support, a Cupshaped casing extending over said plates and fastener, the peripheral edge of said one plate being in frictional Vcontact with the inner side of the annular wall of said casing to provide a slip connection between said plate and casing, said casing and plates having openings for alinement to give access to the aforesaid fastener, said openings being out of alinement until said slip connection is operated after setting the plates to release the tumbler.

7. In a lock, a circular body to be fixedly mounted on a support, and a rotary circular member in front of vsaid body for operating the lock by a to and fro turning movement, said member having diametrically opposite seats to receive the thumb and one finger of the operator and said body having two series of such seats to receive the tips of said thumb and finger whereby movement of the operating member may be gaged by touch.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOI-IN HARRISON MATTICE.

Vitnesses:

EMILE REGNIER, F. E. HETT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents veach, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. v 

